1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates generally to the field of food service fixtures, such as counter tops, shelving, sinks, and the like. More specifically, the present invention discloses a modular system for assembling food service fixtures using standardized components.
2. Statement of the Problem.
Food service fixtures (e.g., counter tops, shelves, sinks, drawers, and related fixtures with openings to accommodate appliances) are widely used by restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals, and other institutions involved in preparation of food. These fixtures are commonly made with a continuous counter top that covers a variety of different sections for shelving, drawers, plate shelves, aprons, doors, panels, appliances, and the like beneath the counter top. In addition, the counter top itself must accommodate sinks, cooking appliances, disposal openings, and the like that extend downward through the counter top. For example, work-flow patterns and existing walls, plumbing, and ventilation ductwork often impose significant constraints on the possible arrangement and location of fixture components. As a result of the unique needs and constraints associated with each installation, fixtures have traditionally been designed and manufactured on a custom basis. This significantly increases the costs of designing and manufacturing food service fixtures. Custom design also increases the lead time necessary to finish a job and increases the chance of error in manufacture or assembly.
Modular shelving systems and other types of modular furniture have used in the past in a wide variety of other fields, including the following:
______________________________________ Inventor Patent No. Issue Date ______________________________________ Kump 2,404,182 July 16, 1946 Maslow 3,208,406 Sep. 28, 1965 Maslow 3,225,720 Dec. 28, 1965 Pollack 4,231,298 Nov. 4, 1980 Chap 4,666,201 May 19, 1987 Franklin 4,696,407 Sep. 29, 1987 lrja Canada 2,042,513 Feb. 21, 1992 ______________________________________
Kump discloses furniture having legs that can be readily detached from the main body of the piece to allow the main body to be used independently or stacked. Cabinets can be secured together using clips 51 as shown in FIG. 1a of the Kump patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,208,406 to Maslow shows a coupling clip 50 for assembling knockdown shelving units. U.S. Pat. No. 3,225,720 to Maslow shows a corner brace for use in construction of shelving assemblies.
Pollack discloses a shelving system for swift assembly and disassembly. The system uses a number of ladder-type uprights with vertically spaced cross braces extending between vertical posts. Each vertical post has inner and outer post elements that allow insertion of a shelf without the necessity of its being tilted or cocked. Each shelf has right-angular, inwardly extending locking tongues or tabs 40 at its corners. These locking tongues are initially located during assembly in wide spaces defined between the inner and outer post elements. The shelf is then moved downward along the uprights from the wide spaces into narrower spaces in which the corners of the shelf lock.
Chap discloses a modular wire rack for storing various types of wrapping materials. Two rack modules can be placed back to back and fastened together by means of friction clips 60.
Franklin discloses a display unit for displaying small merchandise in a series of bays along a wall or partition. The bays are formed by dividers constructed of pairs of angularly arranged vertical panels that are hingedly connected to one another and are also secured to the wall at spaced intervals. A principal header extends along the upper periphery of the rear wall to cover up mismatches between the rear wall sections and to support placards.
Irja discloses a set of shelves that includes a number of vertical elements and horizontal shelves that can be assembled in a variety configurations using a clip or "fixing element" 6 shown in FIGS. 4-6 of this patent.